Hearing rescheduled for father, daughter in sexual assault case

Thursday, February 10, 2011

By TERRY AHNER tahner@tnonline.com

A hearing for a father and daughter charged with the sexual assault of a female family member has been rescheduled.

Michael Steven Taschler, 79, of Covered Bridge Road, Kunkletown, and Debbie Lynn Green, 39, of Avenue A, Palmerton, are set to have preliminary hearings at 11 a.m. March 2 before District Judge Bruce Appleton of Palmerton.

The hearings have already been continued on two prior occasions. Both individuals remain free in lieu of $200,000 unsecured bail.

Taschler faces charges on eight counts of aggravated indecent assault, five counts of indecent assault, and endangering the welfare of children for incidents alleged to have occurred between 2004-2008.

Green faces charges on two counts of aggravated indecent assault, two counts of indecent assault, and endangering the welfare of children for incidents alleged to have occurred over the same time period.

As part of their release conditions, the defendants were to attend a pretrial intervention program through the Carbon County Adult Probation Office and follow all recommendations; are not to possess or consume alcohol or nonprescribed controlled substances; are to be fingerprinted prior to their preliminary hearing and must call State Police at Lehighton to schedule an appointment; and are not to have any unsupervised contact with the victim.

According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by State Trooper Patrick J. Finn:

On Oct. 14, Finn and Amy Chickilly, of Carbon County Children and Youth, spoke to the minor victim who advised that Taschler began to sexually assault her when she was 9 years old, according to the affidavit.

The victim said that the sexual assaults usually occurred at Taschler's residence in Lower Towamensing Township.

The victim said that she had told Green several times since she was 9 that Taschler sexually assaulted her, and that each time she went to her for help, Green would threaten to kill her. On one occasion, Green held a baseball bat over the victim's head and told her that she would beat her to death with the bat if she ever told anyone about the sexual assaults.

Green continually forced the victim to stay at Taschler's residence for overnight visits with full knowledge that the victim would be sexually assaulted while in Taschler's presence. At no time did Green prevent the victim from being in Taschler's company, and at no time did Green prevent her from being sexually assaulted by Taschler.

Green never reported the assaults to the authorities after the victim repeatedly went to her for help.